Daily Diner Frogtown: Coming soon

The mix of cultures and people along the stretch of University Avenue in St. Paul has created a corridor of culinary treasures. The latest restaurant slated to open on the corner of University and Dale won't just focus on feeding the people, it will also aid those in the community who could use a helping hand.

The restaurant will be a collaboration between hospitality veterans and the Union Gospel Mission. The 111-year-old UGM helps those in need, feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeless. The restaurant will act as a training ground for program graduates to learn the skills of the hospitality industry, learning positions in both the front of the house and the kitchen.

Running the kitchen will be executive chef Jason Koehn, a veteran of Champp's Americana. Koehn told the food website Heavy Table, "I would say 98 percent of the menu is based on scratch cooking. From there I went with a classic diner concept -- breakfast, lunch, dinner. A little heavy on the breakfast side."

The flavors found inside the diner will be more than American-style diner dishes. They will also include Asian, Latino, and flavors from the American South.

Daily Diner is expected to open next Monday, April 15, and will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.